Fence-wire stretcher and roller.



No. 831,463. PATENTED SEPT. 18, 1906.

H. OHMES. FENCE WIRBSTRETGHER AND ROLLER.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 2. 1905.

Inventor,

*3 j eiziyflfiiizea, Witnesses:

by I I I Attorneys.

1n: NORRIS PETERS 5a., w'lsmucroN, a c.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

ILLINOIS.

HENRY OHIWIES, OF LINCOLN.

FENCE-WIRE STRETCHER AND ROLLER.

Patented Sept. 18, 1906.

No. 831,463. Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 2, 1905. Serial No. 285,627. To all whom, rt may concern: v provided at their upper ends w th journal- Be 113 known that I, HENRY OHMES, a citibearings to support shafts and 11, the former, which constitutes the spool zen of the United States, residing at Lincoln, or reel shaft,

being polygonal 1n cross-section,

in the county of Logan and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Fence-Wire Stretcher and Roller, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates stretchers and rollers.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and thoroughly-efficient machine of this character which shall embody in a practical manner means to support a spool or reel of fence-wire, either barbed or otherwise, means to permit the wire to pay out or unreel without tangling when being positioned relatively to the fenceposts, means to secure the requisite tension upon the wire and to hold it stretched while being stapled to the fence-post, and means to wind the wire upon the spool at the conclusion of the operation of building a fence.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction and combination of parts of a fence-wire stretcher and roller, as will be hereinafter fully described. and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a view in vertical longi tudinal section taken on the line 1 1, Fig, 2, and looking in the direction of the arrow thereon. Fig. 2 is a view in rear elevation. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the apparatus.

The apparatus comprises a frame composed of two longitudinal base-beams 1 and two transverse beams 2 and 3 that connect the longitudinal beams, the latter of which project from the front of the apparatus and form handles 4, by which it may be moved from point to point. The frame is supported upon wheels 5, which run on an axle 6, mounted in journal-boxes 7, secured to the under side of the longitudinal beams. The form of supporting-frame herein shown is one that will be found thoroughlyefficient in use; but it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited thereto, as any other preferred style of frame may be employed and still be within the scope of the invention.

Secured to the upper sides of the longitudinal beams, adjacent to the ends thereof, are two pairs of brackets 8 and 9, which are u as shown n Fig. 2, and the latter, which constitutes the roller-shaft, being circular in cross-section. Each standard is a counterpart of the other and is provided with cheeleplates 12, between which is mounted a cap-square 1.3, a pin 14, passing through the cheek-plates and square, serving to hold the latter in operative position relatively to the shaft with which it coacts. The object for having the removable cap-squares is to permit of the two shafts being disconnected from the apparatus when desired, it being understood that when a fresh spool or reel of wire is to be placed upon the shaft 11 it will be necessary to detach this from the standards, and this may be quickly and readily effected by removing the pins 14 and the cap-squares 1.3, whereupon the shaft may be lifted bodily from its bearings in the standards. It 1s necessary that both shafts should be removable to permit this operation.

Each of the shafts carries a sprocketwheel 15 and 16, respectively, the wheel 15 being the smaller and being carried by the shaft 10 and the wheel 16 being carried by the shaft 11. These two wheels are engage by a sprocket-chain 17, whereby motion imparted to the shaft 11 by a crank 18 carried thereby will be transmitted to the shaft 10,

thereby to effect its turning for a reason that will appear later on.

In order to guide the wire when being reeled or unreeled, there is a wire-guide 19 provided, which is a double trumpet-mouthed structure and is carried by the upturned end 20 of a lever 21, fulcrumed at 22 upon a cross-bar 23, in this instance of metal, which is provided with downturned terminals that are bolted or riveted at 24 to the opposed faces of the journal-beams or handle-bars. The free or outer end portions 25 of the lever is adapted to engage with a rack-bar 26, carried by the transverse beam, and thereby \hold the'wire-guide at any desired adjustto fence wire ment.

To hold the shaft 10 against rotation when the wire is being placed under tension, there i is a ratchetheel 28 provided, that is secured to or made intergral with a clutch 29, which is adapted to engage with one of the arms of the wire-reel.

In order to prevent any lifting of the lever 21, there is a guard 30 employed, which is secured to the rear transverse beam 2 and beneath which the lever works, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In the use of the apparatus a reel of wire is placed upon the shaft 10 and the free end is projected through the wire-guide 19 and the end of the wire is secured to the first post of the fence. The apparatus is then moved. to the second post, in front of which it is positioned, with the transverse beam 2 in engagement therewith. The crank 18 is now turned, the pawl 27 being in engagement with the ratchet-wheel, and when the wire is placed under requisite tension any backlash of the reel is prevented by the pawl. The wire is then stapled to the post, and the machine is then moved to the next post, and so on.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that although the improvements herein defined are simple in character they will be thoroughly effective in use for the purpose designed, and owing to the manner in which the parts are constructed and combined danger of breakage or derangement is reduced to a minimum.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A wire-stretcher consisting of a frame, two pairs of standards erected upon the frame, a polygonal reel-shaft supported by one set of standards, a drive-shaft supported by the other set of standards, a sprocketwheel carried by each of the shafts, a sprocket-chain connecting the wheels, a combined clutch and ratchet wheel carried by the reel-shaft, a pawl adapted to engage the ratchet-wheel, a wire-guide located in front of the work-facing side of said reel-shaft, a lever supporting said guide and being fulcrumed to the frame at a point between the shafts and extending at its free end beyond and under the drive-shaft.

2. A wire-stretcher consisting of a frame, two pars of standards erected upon the frame, a reel-shaft supported by one set of standards, a drive-shaft supported by the other set of standards, a sprocket-wheel carried by each of the shafts, a sprocket-chain connecting the wheels, a ratchet-wheel carried by the reel-shaft, a pawl adapted to engage the ratchet-wheel, a cross-rod fixed at its ends to the frame in advance of the reel-shaft and being spaced from the frame along its intermediate portion, a lever fulcrumed to the frame between the shafts and extending under the said shafts and the cross-rod, said lever then extending up toward the reel-shaft, a bell-mouth guide received by said lever and supported in front of the work-facing side of the reel-shaft, the free end of the lever being located at the opposite side of the drive-shaft.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY OHMES.

Witnesses:

GEORGE MICHAEL KNOCHEL, HENRY CAToN VOGEL. 

